Outlook Lodge is set on Outlook Station, 35 minutes from Raglan in the Waikato. It's a 1 hour and 40-minute drive from Auckland City and 25-minutes from Hamilton City.
This atmospheric off-grid lodge is an ideal family or group escape. Sleeping 10, the lodge sits on a remote spot on the farm - with incredible views out towards farmland and bush.
The interior of the lodge is rustic, warm and welcoming. Plenty of comfy seating, a dartboard and a generous kitchen make it the perfect space for gatherings. There are two bunk rooms with 6 bunks, including one double-sized bunk bed in each room.
The ponds directly in front of the lodge, and the native bush from directly behind, provide a serene setting for the lodge. The flying fox offers hours of fun and the walks on the property are a great option for stretching the legs while taking in the views.
At night, gather around the campfire for a singalong and stargazing. See the glow of the lights of Hamilton behind the hills and hear the morepork calling from the branches.
If you're looking for a place to gather with friends somewhere away from the madness of the modern world, this is it.
FROM $370
Children aged 9+ only
324 Waitetuna Valley Road, Raglan 3295
Outlook Station is 1 hour and 40-minutes from Auckland City, 25-minutes from Hamilton. From the lodge, it takes 35-minutes to get to Raglan (or 20 minutes from the entrance to the property).
Once you arrive at the property you'll need to come up the driveway to the main house. Your hosts will then show you the way to the lodge (which is about a 15-minute drive on a farm track).
Detailed arrival instructions (including your host's contact details) will be provided in a pre-arrival email 5 days prior to your stay.
Note: If you have booked within 5 days and haven't received a pre-arrival email shortly after booking, please email us at [email protected].
Please Note Check-in needs to be in daylight hours: between 3pm - 7pm in summer or between 3pm - 6pm in winter.
The lodge sleeps up to 10 people across two bunk rooms.
There are 6 bunks in each room with one bunk bed in each room being a double bed.
Note that while each room can sleep a maximum of 7 people for flexibility - the accommodation has a maximum occupancy of 10 people in total in order to ensure the facilities are not overloaded.
Full linen, towels, and bedding is supplied. The sheets are a 100% Egyptian cotton. Wool pillows and duvets are provided.
Retro wool blankets are provided for stargazing around the firepit.
***Please Note***
Outlook Lodge is situated in a remote spot on a working farm and for health and safety reasons, it's not suitable to have friends visiting during your stay.
The kitchen is contained within the lodge 'living' area and has a sink, bench and food storage. A coffee plunger and coffee percolator are supplied, as are all the pots, cutlery and utensils you'll need for cooking and eating.
There is a 4-burner gas hob and a gas BBQ with hood and gas rings for cooking. Cool food storage is via a chilly bin with daily deliveries of chilly pads.
The breakfast bar has four stools on which to perch and guests can use the arm chairs for informal dining as there is no dining table.
Some pantry basics are supplied - cooking oil, salt and pepper, instant coffee, tea and raw sugar.
The bathroom is contained within the lodge and has a shower, basin and flushing toilet. An LPG gas califont supplies hot water.
Towels are provided.
Outlook Lodge is fully off-grid with a solar system providing electricity for lighting and phone charging. If it’s sunny, the system will be generating power. If it’s not sunny, you’ll be using power from the bank of batteries. You will need to conserve on grey days to avoid running out.
There are two USB charging ports available for charging devices.
Yes, there is coverage at the lodge, but it can be weather dependent. More reliable reception can be found at the picnic table, just 30 metres from the lodge.
There are two USB charging ports available for charging devices.
Outlook Lodge has a wood burner inside the lodge.
Yes, there is a firepit area outdoors for outdoor stargazing and toasting marshmallows! At certain times of the year, it will be unavailable due to higher than normal fire risk. Your hosts will let you know if there is a fire ban in place when you are visiting.
Outlook Lodge is open for stays during winter, but bear in mind that you're booking an off-grid escape - without the usual luxuries of a fully powered home. Glamping is still a form of camping!
The lodge has warm bedding, a wood burner inside and a firepit outdoors, plus lots of other elements to make your stay cosy and atmospheric. If you book a stay in winter, bring your sense of adventure and brush up on your fire-lighting skills.
Outlook Lodge is suitable for children aged 9+, however, they MUST be able to swim confidently (due to the nearby pond in the vicinity) and be closely supervised by adults at all times.
Outlook Lodge has a 'no dog' policy (with no exceptions).
If you're looking for dog-friendly glamping, check out some of our other Canopy Camping Escapes sites that welcome dogs - you can select the 'dog-friendly' filter in the search bar to easily find them.
Outlook Lodge is situated in a remote spot on a working farm and for health and safety reasons, it's not suitable to have friends visiting during your stay.
Very private! It's just you, nature, a few sheep and the view.
Once you arrive at the property, there is a 15-minute drive to the lodge on a farm track. This is suitable for a 2WD car but you will need to have good ground clearance.
If you're not confident to drive on the farm track, your hosts are happy to drive you in.
You're welcome to come and go from the property but will need to follow Health and Safety guidelines about speed and blind corners etc. You'll also need to leave gates as you find them.
Outlook Sation is a property with farm-related activity, so for the safety of all concerned, it’s very important to follow the safety guidelines and terms that you’ll find in our booking terms and in your Welcome Guide on site. These terms and guidelines include:
All Year Round:
Sorry! Outlook Lodge has a standard minimum stay period of 2 nights with no exceptions.
Public Holiday Weekends:
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
Our minimum night policies are strictly adhered to. Please note that there are no exceptions to the policies fo Outlook Lodge.
Our minimum night policies are strictly adhered to. Please note that there are no exceptions to the policies outlined below for Outlook Lodge.
All Year Round:
Outlook Lodge has a standard minimum stay period of 2 nights with no exceptions.
Public Holiday Weekends:
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
All Year Round:
The nightly rate is $370 for a couple.
Extra people are $75 per person, per night.
Give the gift of glamping! Gift Vouchers are available for use at any of our Canopy Camping Escapes glamping sites. These are provided in electronic format, for you to print out and pop in a greeting card for the lucky recipient. Read more about our gift vouchers, including how to purchase one, here.
1.1 Canopy Camping Limited (Canopy Camping Escapes, also referred to as we, our and us) has a curated collection of unique nature-based properties throughout New Zealand, independently owned and operated by individual owners of the properties (Hosts).
1.2 By making a booking through our website (here) (Website), you, as the person making the booking, agree to be bound by these terms and conditions (Booking Conditions).
1.3 Canopy Camping Escapes enters into these Booking Conditions as an agent for the Host. That means that you are making an agreement with the Host for the use of its property. Anything Canopy Camping Escapes does (including enforcing any of the Host’s rights), it does so as agent for the Host and is not a party to your agreement with the Host.
1.4 In these terms:
2.1 If you book within 28 Days of your check-in time, full payment via credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) is required at the time of booking. If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, a deposit of 10% is required to confirm your booking and secure the property. This will be charged to your credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) at the time of booking. A credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge of up to 2.5% will be applied to all credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payments.
2.2 Bookings are considered confirmed once you have made your online booking and payment and we have sent an email to the address provided to us which confirms both the payment and your booking details. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact us as soon as possible. However, we (as agent for the Host) reserve the right to cancel any booking within 12 Days of the confirmation email where we discover that you, or any of your guests, has previously breached these Booking Conditions in relation to a previous booking. In that case, you will receive an email advising you that the booking has been declined, and the full amount paid by you at the time of booking will be refunded to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) you provided during the booking process.
2.3 If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, the remaining balance of your stay will be due 28 Days prior to your check in time. An email reminder will be sent to you at this time requesting payment for the outstanding balance. The reminder email gives you the option to pay the remaining balance by A2A (Internet Banking) or credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). If your payment has not been received within 24 hours, the remaining balance will automatically be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking. Please note: a 2.5% credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge is applied to all payments made by credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). Credit/Debit Card data is held in a secure and encrypted environment.
2.4 If any amount is not paid when due, you will forfeit your deposit and your booking will be cancelled.
3.1 Your 10% deposit (or 10% of the value of your stay if you have paid in full) is non-refundable, however it can be transferred to another booking made within 12 months of the date of confirmation of your original booking, if you cancel your stay more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time.
3.2 Cancellation or date changes by you that are between 3 and 21 Days prior to your check-in time will result in 50% of the total cost of your stay being charged. Cancellation or date changes made 3 Days (72 hours) or less prior to your check-in time will result in 100% of the total cost of your stay being charged.
3.3 Date changes made more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time are allowed without forfeit of any amounts paid.
3.4 Force Majeure
You are entitled to a full refund if you need to cancel for the following reasons:
Road closure. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, a road on your route to your accommodation is designated by Waka Kotahi as closed or for essential travel only, and there is no detour, or the detour adds more than two hours to your travel according to the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner.
Metservice RED Weather Warning. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, the Metservice has issued a RED warning/forecast in either your home region or the region of your accommodation, for either the day of your arrival or departure.
Natural disasters in New Zealand. Natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other severe and abnormal natural events causing large scale disruption of essential services and/or transport, specifically impacting your travel to or from your accommodation.
4.1 Exceptional or unforeseen circumstance
Hosts reserve the right to cancel a booking at any time in the event of exceptional or unforeseen circumstances. This right will only be exercised in good faith and in exceptional circumstances such as:
(a) Any alteration to the property or its surroundings which may pose a safety risk for the guest.
(b) Unexpected damage or destruction at the property.
(c) A death in the Host family.
(d) Our relationship with the Host ends for any other reason.
In the unlikely event a Host cancels under this clause, the guest may elect to receive a full refund or to credit the booking to another available date or Escape. The Host’s liability will be limited to the refund of amounts paid for any part of your stay that is cancelled.
4.2 Cancellation for breach
Hosts may terminate a booking at any time if they, or we, reasonably believe that there is, or has been, a breach of these Booking Conditions by you or any guest or visitor. Where a Host cancels under this clause, all amounts paid are forfeited and, where such termination occurs during the rental period, you and all guests and visitors must immediately leave the property.
5.1 Accommodation is often situated on working farms and there are hazards both natural and man-made. You accept that you, and any guests or visitors, enter the property at your own risk.
5.2 Participation by you and any guests or visitors in activities, such as, outdoor baths, climbing trees, walking on the property and any other activity on the property, is done so at your and their own risk.
5.3 To the extent permitted by law, neither we nor the Host accept any liability for accident, loss of property or personal injury during your stay.
No pets are allowed unless otherwise specified on the Website listing. Most accommodation is situated on working farms and therefore are not suitable for visiting pets.
Hunting or motorcycles are not permitted on the properties.
GST of 15% (where the accommodation is GST-registered) is included in the daily per night cost. A tax receipt will be supplied by Canopy Camping Escapes if requested.
8.1 Guests have a licence to occupy the Property for the paid holiday period only. You are responsible for ensuring that you and they arrive no earlier than the check-in date, and leave no later than the check-out time, specified on the Website.
8.2 You are required to, and must ensure that all guests and any approved day visitors, observe the rules and procedures in relation to the property:
8.3 You must, and must ensure that all guests and any approved visitors, take all reasonable and proper care of the property and its furniture, fittings and effects and leave them in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period. Where the property has not been left in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period, you will be required to pay an additional cleaning cost of $100 which may be charged to the credit or debit card used at the time of booking.
8.4 You are required to inform Canopy Camping Escapes of any damage or breakage occurring during the rental period in or around the property promptly so that it can be repaired and replaced for the next booking. You must reimburse the Host for the reasonable costs of replacement or repair of any damage caused by you or any guests or visitors and such costs may be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking.
8.5 You must ensure that any access information in relation to a property (including any access codes, location of keys, etc) is kept confidential and not disclosed to any person.
8.6 Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the properties.
8.7 The Host may access the property during the rental period to the extent reasonably necessary to undertake repairs or replacement or where we or the Host have reason to believe these Booking Terms are not being complied with.
8.8 The number of guests staying at the Escape overnight must be the same as the number of guests included in the booking. Any day visitors must be approved by the Host prior to your stay. No overnight visitors are permitted.
8.9 You and all guests and any approved day visitors must behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner with due respect to the Host, the Property, other guests and neighbouring properties and neighbours, and Canopy Camping Escapes’ staff and representatives.
If you encounter any issues or problems during your stay, you must first contact the Host to try to resolve the issue. The Host should be given the opportunity to address and fix the problem before any further steps are taken.
If you decide to leave the accommodation early due to an issue without first contacting the Host to resolve it, you will not be entitled to compensation. Essentially, if you don’t give the Host a chance to fix the problem, you cannot expect financial reimbursement for leaving early.
If you have a complaint that you'd like to alert Canopy Camping Escapes about after your stay, please contact us promptly at [email protected] with details of the complaint. As an agent, we will be the initial contact between you and the Host but may need to put you in direct contact to resolve any issues.
To the extent permitted by law, as agent for the Hosts, we have no liability, to you or any other person, in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise:
Your rights are against the Host, not Canopy Camping Escapes.
If, for any reason, Canopy Camping Escapes has any liability to you under or in relation to these Booking Terms or your stay, to the extent permitted by law, our liability is limited to the 20% of the amount paid by you in relation to the relevant booking.
Any liability the Host has to you under or in relation to these Booking Conditions or your stay is, to the extent permitted by law, limited to refund of amounts paid by you for the relevant booking and shall not extend to any other costs or loss incurred by you or any guest or other person.
Gift vouchers expire if not redeemed within 2 years of purchase. If a booking paid for using a gift voucher is cancelled, any refund will be by way of a gift voucher with the same expiry date as the original gift voucher. Gift vouchers are not refundable or redeemable for cash and cannot be transferred or on-sold.
These Booking Conditions are governed by New Zealand law and the New Zealand courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
We may amend these Booking Conditions at any time. Any changes shall apply to bookings made from the date of such changes. You are responsible for familiarising yourself with these Booking Conditions each time you make a booking.
Outlook Lodge is self-catering. Just bring your own food, and cook meals using the BBQ and facilities provided in the camp kitchen. You'll find all the cutlery, crockery, pots and pans that you'll need.
If you need to stock up, the closest supermarket is the Raglan Four Square, a 20-minute drive away or Dinsdale in Hamilton, 25-minutes away.
If you do fancy eating out at any stage, your hosts recommend either Orca, Rock it Kitchen or The Shack - all in Raglan.
Outlook Lodge is a brilliant place for a family gathering or group escape. Soak in the hot tub and take in the views. Get competitive with a game of darts! The flying fox is a 25-metre zoom from the lodge and across the shallow water above the pond - great fun for adults and kids alike. At the end of the day, get together around the brazier, roast marshmallows and marvel at the starry night sky.
If you're keen to get some exercise and take in the views, do the 2.5km farm walk from the lodge through the bush and up to the radio mast to look out over Te Awamutu and Mt Pirongia. There's a steep hill climb to get right to the top - so you'll need a reasonable level of fitness for this part.
The local area offers plenty to do too. Visit the Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls or walk one of the many Mt Pirongia tracks. Raglan also offers surfing, kayaking and rock caving for the active relaxers!
Hamish and Julie, along with their son Adam and daughter, Emma will be your hosts at Outlook Lodge. Working dogs Beau, Mazza, Jess, Polo, Nell, and Swampy also live on the farm.
Over the years, Outlook Sation was bought and sold in several different blocks. In more recent times, it was bought back into one big block and is now a large sheep and beef operation. Parts of the station had been run down in the years prior to Hamish and Julie's ownership - and it's been a long-term labour of love for them to bring it back to its former glory.
The family have an ingrained love of horses - and both Hamish and the children play or have played polo. This has included trips to Zambia, Malaysia and South Africa - with Hamish representing New Zealand. Hamish and Julie are also supporters of Distance Riding New Zealand - and have hosted a ride over the property for the last four years.
Outlook Lodge was the result of some talented Te Awamutu builders who love spending time at this amazing property and 'getting away from it all.' The lodge was too good not to share with a wider audience and Hamish and Julie happily welcome guests to experience this wonderful part of NZ.
Outlook Lodge is a slice of heaven. The beautiful scenery provided breathtaking views as we relaxed on the balcony and lounged around the fire pit. The rustic lodge is comfortable and equipped with everything you need. The cooler boxes worked a treat, and the shower has amazing water pressure, which was a pleasant surprise! I would 100% stay here again. Hamish and Julie were so nice but also gave us our privacy. A total escape from reality.
"Michelle Walton - 18 Feb 2025
1 / 12
Absolutely loved our stay at Outlook Lodge. It is such a beautiful spot overlooking the rolling farm hills. Hamish was so lovely to deal with and spoke to us at length each time he dropped off ice packs for the chilly bins. He was so friendly and talked about the farm and his family. A really nice Kiwi farm getaway that I highly recommend.
"Meghan Barnes - 03 Nov 2024
2 / 12
Great spot for a getaway, so quiet and peaceful. If your looking to relax, this is the place for it.
"Alana Turmaine - 30 Sep 2024
3 / 12
A wonderful mid-winter escape with children. Even with the drizzly weather, there was so much to do for the kids. It was so nice to get off the grid for a while in a truly stunning location.
"Jen Andrews - 27 Jul 2024
4 / 12
Outlook Lodge is a truly magical spot in the hills, with beautiful views to wake up to and the perfect backdrop to any family activity on the farm. We are blessed to be allowed to experience such a wonderful location nestled in the hills.
"Nic Olsen - 17 Jul 2024
5 / 12
Amazing place!!
"James Nuttney - 12 Jul 2024
6 / 12
The perfect place to getaway from it all.
"Keri - 24 Apr 2024
7 / 12
Loved our stay, great views and walks. Full service, which was a bonus. Facilities were great, and will definitely be coming back.
"Michele - 12 Mar 2024
8 / 12
We loved being off the grid and enjoyed stargazing while eating marshmallows. Beautiful view!!
"The B’s - 19 Feb 2024
9 / 12
Magical spot...just absolutely beautiful. A real escape and so peaceful. We had a fantastic time, and loved the spa and fireplace. The place was super clean with everything you needed. A great spot and a real highlight of our trip.
"- 31 Jan 2024
10 / 12
The photos don't do this place justice! It truly is amazing! The views are breathtaking, and if you love the slow, off-grid life, this is definitely a place you need to visit! We booked a surprise for my partner's 30th, and he was speechless.
"Alex - 14 Dec 2023
11 / 12
Fantastic location, such a treat to stay on a working farm.
"Claire and John - 01 Dec 2023
12 / 12
Beautiful tents surrounded by nature, quirky cabins with packets of personality and secret hideaways that offer something completely unique... Explore the other places in our collection.
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